As explained in U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,890: “When communication cable, television cable, fiber optics or similar low voltage communication is added to an existing wall in a building, there are several ways of doing it. One is you can punch a hole in the wall and insert the outlet box and bring the cable or fiber optic through the box. Another way to do it is to use a frame plate made of metallic material which includes cutting a hole in the wall and installing the plate by bending part of the assembly.” The '890 patent discloses “a plastic mounting device having an open window plate extending around an opening in a building wall with an integral right-angle flange or device wall extending into the building wall. The device has two turning screws adapted to turn flags which have been inserted into the hole to grab the far side of the building wall and rotate the screws to snug the plate and flange to the wall. The flange or device wall has a rectangular outside periphery that permits a simple rectangular cut to be made in the building wall for the ready fitting of the device.” However, making such a rectangular cut can often be time consuming and problematic as discussed below.
As discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,495,171, the first figure therein being reproduced as herein as FIG. 16: “FIG. [16] shows [a] wall plate structure 10 that is to be mounted to a hollow wall or like structure that typically includes wall board panels that are mounted to opposite sides of studs in a wall so that the wall structure is hollow. Communication cable and other items are passed through the wall structure. FIG. [16] illustrates a wall board 12 of a typical hollow wall structure with an opening 14 formed therein. The wall plate structure 10 is to be telescopically inserted through the wall opening 14 and suspended in the opening. The wall plate structure 10 includes a wall plate 16, screen 18, and support frame 20. The support frame 20 is box-shaped and is to be thrust through the wall opening 14 so that it is out of sight when in normal use.” Again, however, forming such a wall opening can be time consuming and problematic for the following reasons.
In order to cut an opening such as opening 14 in a hollow wall structure, the size of the support frame is typically determined or measured with a measuring device, and then a hole of slightly larger dimensions is typically drawn on the wall using a ruler, tape measure or other independent straight edge and/or measuring device. This involves attempting to draw each side of the outline for the hole, one at a time, and trying to keep each side aligned with the other sides, and as perpendicular and/or parallel as possible, usually by eyeballing the respective positions of the lines. This can lead to irregular shaped hole openings, or openings of improper size, which can lead to having to spend more time to correct the hole, or the need to make repairs to the wall, or the improper installation of the support frame or bracket.
Accordingly, there is a need for a better and more convenient method of forming an opening in a wall to receive a support frame or bracket of a wall plate structure. The device disclosed herein fulfills such need.